Over Spring Break, forty juniors and seniors, along with chaperones Ms. Kjorstad, Ms. Wayland, Mr. Werle, Mr. U, and Mrs. Ahlm, packed their bags and hopped on an eight-hour flight to London, England. The crew arrived full of sleep deprivation and excited energy.
Day 1 across the pond started with the group meeting their tour guide Richard and their mohawk-laden bus driver Alex, both of whom the students loved to talk with about their native land. The day featured a walking tour of London, complete with a visit to Trafalgar Square in the midst of a protest in support of Ukraine. For dinner, the group ate bangers and mash, a popular British dish that was very unpopular among the students. The meal consisted of two sausage links on top of mashed potatoes with gravy on top.
On day 2, the group took a two-hour bus trip to Stonehenge. The day finished with an excursion at Westfield London, the biggest shopping centre in Europe. After an hour exploring the boundless luxury shops, the group ate Pad Thai for dinner and returned to the hotel.
Day 3 was filled with excitement and action-packed fun. After a breakfast of beans and toast, the group crisscrossed London, going from St. Paul’s Cathedral, once the tallest building in London, and to Tower Bridge. After walking past the City of London School, the alma mater of Daniel Radcliffe, and beating some Brits in a game of rock-paper-scissors, the group stopped at Buckingham Palace before walking to Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, where they were met with a history-packed tour from their new, James Bond-esque tour guide, Justin. Mrs. Ahlm took in Poets’ Corner, where many famous English authors rested, with great excitement. The group proceeded to Chinatown and roamed Piccadilly Circus before watching the musical Come From Away on the West End.
Day 4 was devoted to roaming Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace and hometown of William Shakespeare. After five hours of wandering the historic streets, the group headed back to London to try, according to our tour guide, “the national dish of the United Kingdom”, chicken curry. The group arrived at the hotel early that night. Not long after, a group of rowdy British teenagers laid siege to the Hotel Ibis.
Day 5, the last full day in London, started off with a tour of the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels. After meandering around the city for a while, they took to the seas and to the skies, going on a Thames River cruise before a trip around the London Eye. After a dinner of meat pie, the group went back to the hotel and prepared to head home.
On Day 6, the group returned to the States. After an early morning eight hour flight, they landed in Charlotte, where they explored the airport for seven hours. After their second day of staying awake for a full day, they flew to Minneapolis, where they were greeted by different family and friends.
